1. Field of the Invention
The Brace is a device for immobilizing the chin of a patient requiring medical treatment. As such this invention relates to the filed of medical and dental apparatuses used to restrict patient movement where such movement would be risky or counterproductive to the procedure or procedure which the patient will be undergoing.
2 . Description of Related Art
Braces are known in the art which support the chin rigidly to a chest harness of other reference point. Typically these devices provide for one degree of freedom in the adjustment of the distance from the patient's chest to the patient's chin. Utility U.S. Pat. No. 3,724,452 to Nitschke, U.S. Pat. No. 7,549,970 to Tweardy, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,267,741 and 6,368,295 to Lerman, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,475 to Calabrese et al are typical of this class of brace. It is an object of the present invention to provide additional degrees of freedom in the adjustment of the patient's chin relative to the said patient's chest.
Braces are also known in the art which support the chin rigidly relative to the body by providing a head restraint which is rigidly fixed to a harness attached at the patient's back. Utility U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,450 to Donelson, U.S. Pat. No. 7,549,970 to Tweardy, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,267,741 and 6,368,295 to Lerman, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,475 to Calabrese et al are typical of this class of brace. It is the object of this invention to provide a brace which can be used by a patient while sitting in a chair.